Earlier this week, we announced this year’s winners in the 2025 Best Culture Awards presented by Kudos®! This program honors organizations that exemplify the highest standards of workplace culture.  

33 organizations were recognized in this year’s program; 16 of which were new applicants, highlighting the dedication to building thriving cultures in any industry.  

This year’s winners distinguished themselves through their unwavering commitment to meaningful employee recognition – proving that genuine appreciation is the cornerstone of strong, connected teams. 

You can see the full list of winners, plus the highlights from this year’s program in our press release. Congratulations again to this year’s winners and recertified winners!  

Missed this year’s program? We’ll be opening applications for the 2026 Best Culture Awards in the Spring – stay tuned to this newsletter for more info.

Last month, the upgraded Kudos platform officially launched — and it’s built for you! With upgraded tools like incentives, smart nomination workflows, and enhanced points management, the next generation of Kudos makes it easier than ever to celebrate, engage, and empower your people. For those of you still on Legacy Kudos, you can upgrade anytime!

Who can upgrade? Everyone! 

When can I upgrade? Anytime! 

How do I upgrade? We'll work with you to make the process as simple as possible. Here are the resources to get you started: 

Ready to make the switch? Connect with your Client Success Manager or schedule a meeting to explore what’s new and plan your upgrade. 

Every month, we’ll be sharing how we’ve turned your ideas into meaningful improvements. Your Feedback in Action highlights the latest upgrades we’ve made to the next generation Kudos platform, all inspired by what you’ve told us matters most. 

November Upgrades: 

🌐 Expanded Language Support 
Chinese is now available as a language option in user settings, helping global teams engage more seamlessly in their preferred language. 

🎁 Custom Rewards Storefronts 
Organizations can now design fully customized rewards storefronts with branded visuals and tailored items to create a more meaningful redemption experience. 

🤝 Activity Delegation 
Admins can now enable any user to send recognition on someone else’s behalf – perfect for supporting employees during leaves, vacations, or transitions. 

📊 Faster, Smoother Reporting 
We’ve optimized all chart components for improved speed and responsiveness across dashboards and analytics. 

📈 Enhanced Redemption Reporting 
Redemption reports now include total redemptions and total points redeemed, giving admins clearer insight into reward engagement trends. 

For those still on Legacy Kudos, connect with your Client Success Manager or schedule a meeting to explore what’s new and plan your upgrade. 

Imagine two employees: Maya and Sam. 

Maya celebrates Diwali in late October, then Christmas in December. Sam doesn’t observe any religious holidays. Both have earmarked the end-of-year holiday closure for family time and reflection.  

Both are unsure if the company’s holiday email is meant for them, and they wonder if the “holiday message” is just for those celebrating Christmas. They come into the break feeling slightly distant from the company’s “holiday cheer” because the theme doesn’t feel like their story. 

When we build recognition and celebration programs that assume “everyone celebrates the holidays in the same way”, we risk leaving people like Maya and Sam on the outskirts. But, when we intentionally design recognition that embraces all stories — cultural, religious, secular — we foster belonging.  

Here are practical, fun and meaningful ways to build inclusive holiday recognition into your end-of-year culture. ⬇️ 

Here are your December 2025 banners for your Kudos platform. You can select one of these banners, or create your own, and upload it right into Kudos. Learn more about uploading a banner into your Kudos platform, or how to customize your theme in this support article.   

This Holiday Trivia game is the perfect addition to your team socials, parties, or simply a fun way to engage your team.    

These trivia questions cover a variety of holidays and celebrations that happen this time of year, ensuring everyone feels included during this season. Whether you're gathering in person or virtually, everyone can easily join in for trivia! 

The holidays are quickly approaching; now is a great time to ensure you have sufficient funding to cover holiday redemptions. Typically, organizations see a 15-20% increase in average monthly redemptions during November and December.  

We’re here to make it easy! Kudos Points are a thoughtful and flexible way to surprise and reward your team this holiday season. 

Resource: 10 Employee Gift Ideas Your Team Will Love

If you're organizing a holiday gift through Kudos, please reach out to your Client Success Manager or email us at support@kudos.com. We’ll help take care of the details! 

Reach out to us at support@kudos.com

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